Keep in the Valley
Premise A noble lord and his two eldest sons have discovered an abandoned dwarf mine in a lonely valley three day's ride from the nearest town. Spending almost all of their treasury the noble lord begins construction of a keep to claim the mine and the valley. The story starts off with the noble lord's third son and a recently hired magus traveling with the supply caravan to the site of the keep. Background The reason that the Lord of the House decided to suddenly move them out of wherever they were, spend almost all of their money and make them almost the laughing stock of the court was that he had made a discovery with his sons that would change their family forever. Deep within the abandoned mine lay rich seams of silver and, more importantly,Arcanite . Crafters normally have to barter with dwarves or gnomes to lay their hands on the precious substance and there's only two places to buy it. With any luck they would be able to mine and smelt it themselves and be one of the leading producers of the rare, blue-white silver for the human lands. Due to it's use in almost every form of magical item - this is, essentially, like finding the resources to make countless weapons. There was, however, a catch. Though the Lord did not reveal it to his sons, he always knew that there must have been a reason why the dwarves abandoned the mine. Everyone knew the dwarven tenacity when it came to holding onto their metals and crystals. Something powerful would have had to have happened to drive them away. There was no sign of anything dangeous in or around the mine but it was a cause for concern. The magus he hired was also one of the Gizadi - a follower of the Scribe. He would be able to translate the dwarven writing found along some of the tunnel walls which might reveal what drove the dwarves away. Characters: Scene One Background Traveling in spring is never and easy task. Set out on the roads too soon and you'll face cold snaps that could freeze you with sudden snow storms. Set out too late and you'll get bogged down with all of the spring rains. There exists a perfect time to head out from wherever you wintered and head to wherever you wish to go. The time is known to every traveler and every caravan throughout the realm as the Road Rush . During this week the roads are choked with wagons of every sort heading in almost every direction. By the time that the Road Rush was upon them, a small supply caravan was already on its way for three days. The caravan numbered only six wagons and three-dozen workers who traveled mostly on foot. The wagons were packed with every supply imagined for the last push of construction of a keep that was being built to watch over a shadowed valley to the east; the future home of the House of X. The workers marched on behind and beside the wagons in somber silence. There wasn't much to sing about today. They were grateful for the work. Keep building was a time for plenty as there was so much work to be done that almost anyone could find employment. Three days wasn't that long to walk though they could get their faster if it weren't for the wagons. Each one of the enormous wool wagons had been packed to the top with dried food and materials. Nails for the carpenters. Lime for mortar so that the masons can lay the stonework. Plenty of cut boards and posts so that floors could be laid. The Lord of House X wished the main keep to be completed - enough so that furniture could be moved and such by High Summer. It would take some doing but the workers were promised a bonus in their wages if they could do it. Leading the caravan was a barrell wagon holding the third son of the House of X and their most recently employed member of the House's staff; a magus. In this day and age, almost every House had employed a magus to oversee any magical needs of the family. Whether it was creating magical lights for inside their homes or enchanting weapons to aid in their efforts to drive off goblins, a Magus was a smart investment. One hundred silver marks paid to the Silver Tower and you could buy yourself a mage for three years. Many young magi who wished to further their education would indenture themselves to the Tower in exchange for funding their study. It was the way most magi were even able to afford studying to become a wizard in the first place. Once the three-year term was up, most magi were free to go where they wished but most stayed with the families who had hired them. They became advisor, confidant and friend. In truth, many magi became so valuable to their houses that they often were adopted, formally, into the house that they served. ''Scene '' "So what are you called, Wizard?" the young lord asked. " My name is Renly of Brookford m'lord and I'm not yet a wizard," the young man in plain robes explained. " So what are you then?" the driver asked while adjusting the strap on a quiver slung over his chest. "I'm only a Journeymage." Renly answered while absently glancing around the road and then back at the fair-haired noble's son. "You don't have to keep saying that when it's just us. We're going to be on the road for three days - no room for titles on -this- wagon." "Are you sure m'lord?" "Yes - leave all that for my father and older brothers. I'm third-born and you know what that means." "So what Temple were they going to send you to?" Renly asked politely though it was more just to keep the conversation going. "Arn. That's who the family has a Patron." The young lord answered flatly. "Really? Any clerics in your family?" The wizard asked curiously with an eyebrow raised in question. "Yes. One...about eighty years ago. My grandfather's uncle Tabor received his revelation during the battle of Falling Timbers but no one remembers that fight." "The battle of Falling Timbers was held in the forests south of Wyrmgate Pass at the old logging camp. Thirty men and boys were ambushed by a large horde of goblins trying to make their way back to the mountain." "How the hell do you know that?" "I had to know a lot of things for my exams. Your great uncle received his revelation when the camp was surrounded and they were all-but certain that they were going to die." "...and be eaten." the noble son interjected. "Yes. That -is- a common tactic of the goblins." "So wht else do you know about my family?" "Not much. I tried to find out as much as I could before we left but there wasn't more than a lot of old stories in our records and then the plan to claim the valley." "Yes, my father's plan to rebuild the family's name." "I understand that the keep is almost finished and the wall around the town will be complete by High Summer ." "You have been misinformed." "Oh?" "Why do you think my father would spend the money that was set aside for..." "Oh no..." "No, it's alright. I really did not want to become a follower of Arn." "Yeah, I noticed your quiver. Huran ?" Renly asked inquiring about the presence of arrows - something the God of Sunlight and Strength did not especially favor. "Yeah. "Well, There's a shrine to him about...two days north of the valley your family has claimed. If I remember the map correctly." "You study too much." "So you don't follow The Father ?" "No. I have no desire to be up before dawn every day to lift stones and practice with iron-shod swords until I can't move my arms just to spend the -rest- of my day in prayer and worship the power of the eternal sun." "I...see." "So the only option for you was either cleric or taking the Oath and becoming a Paladin?" "If my father has anything to do with it - yes." "What does your mother think?" "She's a follower of Amara . She just goes with wherever the waters take her." "Ahh. Mixed families can get interesting," Renly began,"My parents follow Gorm. When I announced to the village that I was going to follow the Scribe they all looked at me like I had a horn growing out of my forehead." "Not many books in your house?" "Not ten in the whole village." "Sounds like we're both not what people expected." "No m'lo...no. We're not. What shall I call you if I'm not to use your title?" "My friends call me Bran. What do they call you?" "Ren, mostly but I haven't had that many friends. Not many people knew what to dowith me back at the village. I didn't hunt, didn't fish and you don't want to see me work a hammer." Scene Three "This is why we've come to the valley. This is why it all had to happen." "Father, I don't understand...what is it?" "Why don't you ask the Magus? I'm sure he can explain." "Is that...what I think it is?" "Why don't you reach out and touch it?" "Because it's a foolish rock - that's why?" "Gareth - be quiet. Let your father speak." "Yes mother." Category:Fiction Category:Fiction/North Marches Category:Fiction/Wizard Category:Fiction/Noble Category:Fiction/Fighter Category:Fiction/901 KR